Introduction Welcome to Notes Under the Umbrella, a space where the EXCO team of the Transactional Analysis Association of Singapore shares reflections on the profound impact of Transactional Analysis (TA) in our personal and professional lives. Under this umbrella, we uncover the life scripts that shape our decisions, relationships, and leadership styles—sometimes consciously, other times […]

At 63, many might assume that life’s major transformations are behind us—that personal growth slows, and we settle into routines shaped by decades of habit. But for me, retirement wasn’t just a pause, it was an invitation to reimagine life entirely. For years, I carried deeply ingrained life scripts—patterns shaped by childhood experiences, societal expectations,

Retirement is often seen as an ending—a slowing down, a settling in, a final chapter. But for me, stepping into semi-retirement was anything but a conclusion. It was an invitation to redefine purpose beyond professional identity, beyond external validation, beyond the expectations I once placed on myself. For decades, my career shaped much of my

Life is a constant interplay between where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. Often, we look back at our past with nostalgia or regret, live in the present with uncertainty, and approach the future with anticipation—or fear. But through Transactional Analysis (TA), I’ve come to see these stages not as disconnected chapters,

There comes a moment in life—sometimes sudden, sometimes gradual—when we realize that the way we’ve been living is not the only way. That the patterns we follow, the beliefs we hold, the relationships we cultivate are all shaped by deep, often unseen forces. For me, this realization arrived when I encountered Transactional Analysis (TA). It

For much of my life, I carried a narrative I didn’t fully realize I was living—a story shaped by expectations, early conditioning, and subconscious beliefs. It was a script passed down through experiences, unknowingly ingrained in the choices I made, the relationships I nurtured, and the way I viewed myself. Then, Transactional Analysis (TA) entered

At the heart of Transactional Analysis (TA) lies a powerful concept—life scripts. These unconscious life plans are formed in childhood, shaped by early decisions, interactions with caregivers, and the messages we absorb from our environment. Script analysis helps us bring these underlying narratives to light and offers a path to rewrite the limiting beliefs we’ve

The Invisible Labour of Holding Space As counsellors, we are trained to stay in the Adult ego state—centred, grounded, and focused on facilitating others’ growth. We are taught to hold space with care, uphold professional ethics, and act as quiet agents of change. Our role is to bear witness, not centre ourselves. And yet, over